He has lived in the Federal Republic of Germany since 1985, dedicated entirely to his writing after having spent years as a teacher. His literary career began with poetry, which was published in a nearly complete volume in 1993 by the University of the Basque Country under the title Bruma y conciencia, a partially bilingual edition in Spanish and Euskera. Another book of poems was compiled some years later under the title Yo quisiera llover (2010).

His first novel, Fuegos con limón,  was published in 1996, followed by Los ojos vacíos (Euskadi Prize 2001), El trompetista del Utopía, Vida de un piojo llamado Matías, Bami sin sombre, Viaje con Clara por Alemania, and Años lentos (Tusquets Prize, 2011). He’s also written short prose: El artista y su cadáver, and a few story collections: No ser no duele, Los peces de la amargura (Prize of the Spanish Royal Academy, 2008) and El vigilante del fiordo. He has also written for children and has worked translating German authors into Spanish. He contributes often to literary supplements and his work has been translated into many languages.